Wednsday July 20, 2011
To Pictou, Nova Scotia
After Newfoundland we drove the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton. North East Nova Scotia was amazing. Now it's head to PEI - Prince Edward Island.
Driving on the back roads of Nova Scotia, Hwy 4 and occasionally jumping back on TCH- Trans Canada Hwy 104... this Northumberland shore drive is through the heart of Nova Scotia Acadia. The countryside and farms look quaint and beautiful . A very nice drive to Antigonish, NS.
After Antigonish, it's on to Pictou ( Pick - 2 ) for a couple days, then catch the ferry to PEI - Prince Edward Island. There's only 2 ways onto PEI; Confederation Bridge-- the 14km bridge to New Brunswick on the central- west end of PEI... or the eastern end access-- the ferry at Pictou across the Northumberland Straight to Wood Islands, PEI.
I want to spend a day or 2 in Pictou, see the town, do some maintenence. The sales tax on PEI is 16% in places so supply up. First thing is find Carribou - Munro Provincial park, secure a campsite and find the ferry / port to PEI -- it's nearby.
Back to the traffic circle. A quick picture and glance at the Pictou Veterans memorial -- more on the Veterans in tommorrows post.
Down to Pictou. What a quaint neat looking village / town. The architecter stands out. Neat old buildings down to the marina. The harbor is NOT a working marina... too many pleasure boats... the warf lined by tourist shops and resturants.
The commanding point of the marina is the re- creation masted ship "The Hector" - quay. The Hector brought pilgrims from Scotland to Nova Scotia - New Scotland- in the colonial era 1773.
****
from the website http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nspictou/pass_ships/hector.html
Ship: Hector
Date: 1 July 1773 (departure); 5 September 1773 (arrival)
Departing: Greenock & Lochbroom, Scotland
Arriving: Pictou, Nova Scotia
Ship Master:
The Hector had been transporting immigrants for several years; had previously brought a batch of Scottish emigrants over to Boston in 1770. The ship was owned by a Mr Pagan, a merchant in Greenock Scotland. Together with a Dr Witherspoon, Pagan bought three shares of land in Pictou. They hired a John Ross to act as their recruiting agent for settlers. The offer to the settlers was free passage, free provisions for a year, and a farm. The Hector recruited settlers first at Greenock, then Lochbroom (Rossshire). Most got on at Lochbroom; only 3 familes and 5 single men took up the offer at Greenock. The unnamed piper in the passenger list came on board at the last minute.
The voyage lasted 11 weeks. In many places the wood in the Hector had gone rotten. A gale off the coast of Newfoundland drove them backwards; it took them 14 days to regain the progress they had made. Dysentry and smallpox took 18 of the children.
Upon arrival, there was no cleared land waiting for them, no shelter and the promised provisions did not materialise. Winter was approaching, and there was no time to plant crops that year. As the lands promised to them were three miles into the forest, so that they wouldn't even be able to fish the harbour, the settlers refused to settle those lands. When the provisions did arrive, the company therefore refused to give them any provisions. They then seized the provisions.
The passenger list was compiled by William McKay, or one of his four sons. He, his wife and sons were passengers on the ship.
[many of the children as listed as being the "child of " someone, who does not appear elsewhere on the passenger list. For instance, a Hugh Fraser is listed as being the child of "Donald", but there is no "Donald Fraser" on the list.]
****
Pictou is rich in history and it's easy to spend a day here looking around.
You see the Hector and it looks big,... then you get up close and realise how small it really is, ... to cross the North Sea to the new world... this was a big undertaking. The veterans monument... these Canadian people were the protective navy that escorted the WWII convoys to Europe... they served with distinction in difficult conditions under harsh conditions; they are my heros!
MARNE 31 #201
Wednsday July 20, 2011
To Pictou, Nova Scotia
After Newfoundland we drove the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton. North East Nova Scotia was amazing. Now it's head to PEI - Prince Edward Island.
Driving on the back roads of Nova Scotia, Hwy 4 and occasionally jumping back on TCH- Trans Canada Hwy 104... this Northumberland shore drive is through the heart of Nova Scotia Acadia. The countryside and farms look quaint and beautiful . A very nice drive to Antigonish, NS.
After Antigonish, it's on to Pictou ( Pick - 2 ) for a couple days, then catch the ferry to PEI - Prince Edward Island. There's only 2 ways onto PEI; Confederation Bridge-- the 14km bridge to New Brunswick on the central- west end of PEI... or the eastern end access-- the ferry at Pictou across the Northumberland Straight to Wood Islands, PEI.
I want to spend a day or 2 in Pictou, see the town, do some maintenence. The sales tax on PEI is 16% in places so supply up. First thing is find Carribou - Munro Provincial park, secure a campsite and find the ferry / port to PEI -- it's nearby.
Back to the traffic circle. A quick picture and glance at the Pictou Veterans memorial -- more on the Veterans in tommorrows post.
Down to Pictou. What a quaint neat looking village / town. The architecter stands out. Neat old buildings down to the marina. The harbor is NOT a working marina... too many pleasure boats... the warf lined by tourist shops and resturants.
The commanding point of the marina is the re- creation masted ship "The Hector" - quay. The Hector brought pilgrims from Scotland to Nova Scotia - New Scotland- in the colonial era 1773.
****
from the website http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nspictou/pass_ships/hector.html
Ship: Hector
Date: 1 July 1773 (departure); 5 September 1773 (arrival)
Departing: Greenock & Lochbroom, Scotland
Arriving: Pictou, Nova Scotia
Ship Master:
The Hector had been transporting immigrants for several years; had previously brought a batch of Scottish emigrants over to Boston in 1770. The ship was owned by a Mr Pagan, a merchant in Greenock Scotland. Together with a Dr Witherspoon, Pagan bought three shares of land in Pictou. They hired a John Ross to act as their recruiting agent for settlers. The offer to the settlers was free passage, free provisions for a year, and a farm. The Hector recruited settlers first at Greenock, then Lochbroom (Rossshire). Most got on at Lochbroom; only 3 familes and 5 single men took up the offer at Greenock. The unnamed piper in the passenger list came on board at the last minute.
The voyage lasted 11 weeks. In many places the wood in the Hector had gone rotten. A gale off the coast of Newfoundland drove them backwards; it took them 14 days to regain the progress they had made. Dysentry and smallpox took 18 of the children.
Upon arrival, there was no cleared land waiting for them, no shelter and the promised provisions did not materialise. Winter was approaching, and there was no time to plant crops that year. As the lands promised to them were three miles into the forest, so that they wouldn't even be able to fish the harbour, the settlers refused to settle those lands. When the provisions did arrive, the company therefore refused to give them any provisions. They then seized the provisions.
The passenger list was compiled by William McKay, or one of his four sons. He, his wife and sons were passengers on the ship.
[many of the children as listed as being the "child of " someone, who does not appear elsewhere on the passenger list. For instance, a Hugh Fraser is listed as being the child of "Donald", but there is no "Donald Fraser" on the list.]
****
Pictou is rich in history and it's easy to spend a day here looking around.
You see the Hector and it looks big,... then you get up close and realise how small it really is, ... to cross the North Sea to the new world... this was a big undertaking. The veterans monument... these Canadian people were the protective navy that escorted the WWII convoys to Europe... they served with distinction in difficult conditions under harsh conditions; they are my heros!
